Comments on: I really hate Zotero

By: Brian Hamilton

Brian Hamilton — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:04:42 +0000

Just came across this, years later. Curious whether you've started using Zotero now that there is a cloud to host it on? Or whether some other software has already become your preference?

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:15:26 +0000

Interesting. On my “to do” list for my first year in this job is to recommend a citation-management tool for our campus to adopt and promote vigorously. The short list is currently Zotero and RefWorks (though other suggestions are most welcome!), and I'm leaning toward RefWorks, despite the cost, precisely because of this issue.

Well, that and Zotero's reliance on Firefox; I doubt seriously that we could get our user base to adopt Firefox and install Zotero with any degree of reliability.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:36:08 +0000

I’m in the stages of switching to Mendeley. They store the data in the cloud, but you still have to sync from the harddrive, which takes time.

By: Ian

Ian — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:40:07 +0000

Well I like Zotero. Yes, data and apps in the cloud are great for mobility but not for security, and there are always going to be times when you can’t connect. Having said that Zotero v2 beta has been released with the option of cloud storage and group features so it might be worth another look for those that require such functionality.

By: Robbyn

Robbyn — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:14:41 +0000

The Internet cloud is great if you have one. Travel down to India, Laos, Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Cambodia and see how well you like those programs dependent on the big cloud. Zetero running independent of the Internet is great for a lot of people in the world, as they know it. And the world is a big place…

By: Dario

Dario — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:02:52 +0000

Thanks to the guy who suggested to use Zotero with a Pendrive. I just set the pendrive as Zotero’s folder in three different computers and now I can carry all my information with me. No need to sync, it just stores the files in the pendrive. Sadly, in order to use it, I have to insert the pendrive before I open Firefox and close Firefox before I remove it. But that is no big deal.

I have some heavy PDF’s in my Zotero folders, so the pendrive turns out to be a better solution than web storage, since my connection is not very fast. Thanks again!

By: Jason Griffey

Jason Griffey — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:54:21 +0000

Emre: there is no stake…just a thought experiment about why it is I don’t enjoy this tool that I really, really should. Setting up a network for it is fine…if you are always on the same network.

I want desperately to use Zotero. But given the manner in which I (and I believe others) use their tools, Zotero falls short for me.

By: Emre Ayca

Emre Ayca — Fri, 30 May 2008 22:58:18 +0000

I don’t get what the stake is. zotero is NOT a social bookmarking service or anything like it. it is a citation manager. and you can set up a network for it. easily. or use a pendrive. I think this article just doesn’t do justice to zotero, given its scope and aim.

By: Jason Griffey

Jason Griffey — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:49:52 +0000

Ok, “joe”…so you’re always on the same network? Home, work, conferences, Starbucks…no problem mounting that network share, right? Transparent for users?

While you certainly CAN set up a network share to “follow” you anywhere, it is decidedly non-trivial.

This isn’t an answer, it’s a troll.

By: joe

joe — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:48:59 +0000

If you boneheads were as smart as you think you are, you’d realize you can host your zotero database on network share for the less than the price of a couple cappuccinos a month.